Evolution's Workshop - by Edward J Larson (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published: London: Allen Lane, 2001.

Book Synopsis

From a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, the captivating history of the Galapagos Islands and the explorers and researchers who landed on its shores before and after Darwin

"Science writing at its best." --Seattle Times

The Galápagos Islands were largely overlooked until Charles Darwin arrived in the 1830s and recognized that their isolation and desolation were a boon for the naturalist. Since then, these islands have been the locale of every major turning point in evolutionary theory. Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward J. Larson's Evolution's Workshop is a compelling narrative of the archipelago's role in the history of science, filled with strange twists and curious characters. The story takes us from the pre-Darwin days, to the fabulous expeditions of the Roaring Twenties, to creationists' attempts at undercutting evolutionary theory, to the growing environmental threat from increasing numbers of scientists and eco-tourists. Evolution's Workshop is a glorious tale of discovery that brings alive the human thirst for knowledge.

Review Quotes

"A fascinating narrative of the explorers, buccaneers, and socialites who have visited the island.... nicely summarizes the history of evolutionary biology."--Businessweek

"An engaging mixture of strenuous scientific ideas and the quirks and foibles of some the human advocates."--Los Angeles Times

"An outstanding contribution to the outpouring of books on evolution and the faith/science boundary."--Gregg Easterbrook, Washington Monthly

"Larson belong[s] to the select roster of academic historians whose work can be read for pleasure."--Washington Post Book World

"Required reading for those seriously interested in Darwin, evolution or these remarkable islands."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

About the Author

Edward J. Larson is the author of sixteen books, including Franklin & Washington: The Founding Partnership and American Inheritance. He received the 1998 Pulitzer Prize in History for Summer for the Gods. He is the University Professor of History and holds the Darling Chair in Law at Pepperdine University.